1 T he burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

The special word about Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:

2 L ift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

Lift up a flag on the hill without trees. Call out to the people. Wave the hand for them to go into the gates of the princes.

3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

I have told My holy ones, and My powerful soldiers who take pride in their strength, to carry out My anger.

4 T he noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

Listen to the noise on the mountains, like that of many people! Listen to the loud sound of the many people, of nations gathered together! The Lord of All is gathering an army for battle.

5 T hey come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

They are coming from a far country, from the end of the heavens. The Lord and all He is using to show His anger are coming to destroy the whole land.

6 H owl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

Cry out in sorrow, for the day of the Lord is near! It will come as a destroying power from the All-powerful.

7 T herefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:

So all hands will become weak, and every man’s heart will melt.

8 a nd they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

They will be filled with fear. Pain and suffering will take hold of them. They will suffer like a woman giving birth. They will look surprised at one another, their faces burning.

9 B ehold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

See, the day of the Lord is coming, without pity and with much anger. He is coming to destroy the land and its sinners from it.

10 F or the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

The stars of heaven and every group of stars will not give out their light. The sun will be dark when it comes up, and the moon will not give its light.

11 A nd I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

This is how I will punish the world for its sin, and the sinful for their wrong-doing. I will also put an end to those who are proud. And I will put to shame those who make it hard for others and show no pity.

12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

I will make men so few that they will be of more worth than pure gold, even the gold of Ophir.

13 T herefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

I will make the heavens shake. And the earth will be shaken from its place with the anger of the Lord of All in the day of His burning anger.

14 A nd it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

Every man will turn to his own people and run to his own land like a hunted gazelle or like sheep with no shepherd.

15 E very one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

Anyone who is found will have a spear put through him. And anyone who is caught will fall by the sword.

16 T heir children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

Their little ones will be broken in pieces in front of their eyes. Their things will be taken from their houses. And their wives will be carried away.

17 B ehold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

See, I am going to make the Medes go against them, who will not want silver or be happy with gold.

18 T heir bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.

Their bows will cut down the young men. They will have no pity on babies. Their eyes will not pity children.

19 A nd Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

And Babylon, the beauty of nations, the shining-greatness and pride of the Babylonians, will be as when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

20 I t shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

People will never live in it again, even all the people-to-come. No Arab will set up his tent there. No shepherds will make their flocks lie down there.

21 B ut wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

But wild animals of the desert will lie down there. Their houses will be full of owls. Ostriches will live there, and wild goats will play there.

22 A nd the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

Hyenas will make noise in their strong towers, and wild dogs in their beautiful houses. The end of her time is near. Her days will be few.